Anglesey changed plea Friday

No contest.

That’s the plea Jacob Anglesey made during an 11th hour change-of-plea hearing Friday afternoon, a few days prior to the scheduled start of his first-degree murder trial.

“We were set to go to trial on Monday,” Third District Court Judge Richard Lavery said.

As part of a plea agreement, Anglesey changed his plea to no contest to a reduced charge of voluntary manslaughter in the 2009 death of two-year-old Connor Allen. No contest is a plea made when a defendant does not admit or deny guilt to a charge, but admits there is enough sufficient evidence to find the defendant guilty of a crime. The first-degree murder charge was dismissed through the plea agreement, though specifics regarding sentencing under the agreement were not finalized prior to the hearing.

While first-degree murder is a charge levied to someone accused of the premeditated killing of another person, voluntary manslaughter is levied against someone who kills another person in a “sudden heat of passion” according to Wyoming law.

The reduced charge changes the maximum penalty Anglesey could receive as well. First-degree murder, the highest charge a person can face, is punishable by death or life in prison without parole. The voluntary manslaughter charge carries a maximum prison sentence of up to 20 years and a fine of not more $10,000.

People watching the proceedings reacted as Judge Lavery discussed the voluntary manslaughter charge and its possible penalties.

Some started weeping, while others sat silently with their mouths open.

In the city’s publication of salaries found in the July 12 edition of the Green River Star, Angelsey was still listed as a police officer with the GRPD, earning $4,777 a month. Further questions regarding Anglesey’s position were declined by the GRPD.

“The city of Green River does not comment on personnel matters,” Det. Luke Benson wrote in an email to the Star.

At the time of his arrest, Anglesey worked as the GRPD’s K-9 officer.